Two police officers have been sentenced to 35 years in prison for their involvement in the killing of a suspect over an alleged face mask violation. In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, July 29, Justice Reuben Nyakundi ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond all reasonable doubt that the two constables were directly responsible for the death of Dennis Lusava in 2022. The ruling followed the two officers' conviction by the Eldoret High Court for the killing, which took place at Mbururu Police Post in Kakamega County.
According to accounts detailed during court proceedings, the incident dates back to October 2020, when Lusava had a confrontation with the officers over his failure to wear a face mask at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. An image of Dennis Lusava, who was tortured and killed while in police custody in 2020.
Photo NTV While the suspect initially evaded arrest with the help of bystanders, officers did not let the matter rest, and they found a way to lure the suspect back to the police post. In custody, Lusava was subjected to a brutal assault after being handcuffed, with witness testimonies revealing that the officers kicked, punched and used electric cables to torture him.
Despite the severity of his injuries, the court heard that Lusava was denied medical attention and eventually succumbed to his injuries. Further, the court was told that after the victim lost his life, the officers secretly removed his body from the police station and dumped it in River Nzoia to conceal evidence of torture. While condemning what he described as a blatant abuse of power by officers, the judge was also critical of the fact that the officers showed no remorse and failed to pursue any form of accountability. "The murder was committed with malice aforethought, and there was transactional evidence linking the two officers to a common intention in the conspiracy," the judge noted. Notably, the case heavily leaned towards the prosecution team, which was armed with 21 witnesses and 27 exhibits, which established the officers' role in the unlawful killing.
